Tag Archives: multilateral trade agreements

There has been much talk about when or if the European Union will start speaking with one voice internationally and in foreign affairs. A lot of things instantly come to mind – energy policy, Human Rights, multilateral trade agreements, military activity – the list goes on.

The EU is a global player, with its own economic and geopolitical interests. If the EU were to protect these interests, that are EU citizens’ interests, we have to be able to speak with one voice with our partners.

The European External Action Service was created with the Lisbon Treaty. Baroness Catherine Ashton was chosen as the first High Representative of this institution and of the EU’s foreign affairs. Hopefully she will not fail in her assignments to co-ordinate and stand for agreed positions of the Member States. Otherwise Europe’s international influence will fade indefinitely and the EU dissolve internally. Such a situation could then be characterised by an already existing anecdote – Hillary Clinton dials Cathy Ashton’s number. An answering machine picks up the phone. The following message is read out: “You have called the High Representative of the EU Foreign Affairs. Unfortunately our working day is finished. If you have a question and wish to know the position of France, dial 1; if you wish to know the position of Germany, dial 2”. And so on…

Hopefully the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) can help in avoiding this scenario. The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is also a part of this. There is already in place the Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD) that gives Members States and non Member States alike the chance to co-operate on different security related issues. The institution is also responsible for designing the EU’s political and strategic concepts regarding CSDP missions and operations. The latter is going to be the heart and basis for the EU’s External Action Service, concentrating on preventing and reacting on civilian crises (e.g. natural disasters) here and abroad.

In addition we have the European Defence Agency, whose assignment is to develop a functioning system to satisfy the needs of the CSDP. Also, it fosters EU co-operation on weaponry and defence equipment.For more information, please read: